A pilot shortage across Canada is causing some regional carriers to cancel flights, put less experienced pilots in the cockpit and has even had an impact on some air ambulance services. A combination of factors is causing the shortage — ever-increasing air travel by Canadians, a shortage around the world and a large number of pilots reaching retirement. (www.cbc.ca) Plus d'info...

It seems that airlines want to avoid the elephant in the room, which is compensation. If they pay their aircrew competitively, they will be able to attract and retain them. Does it mean higher passenger ticket prices? Of course.

I've commented on this subjected a few times, mainly because i'm directly effected by the reality of it. I'm in my young 30's CFI teaching full time, building hours, working on my MEI, learning everyday and enjoying the ride. Pay is ok, but my school, commute and quality of life is great! The airliners can't offer me anything... I mean everyone has a price$ but we all know they won't pay me enough to justify the horrible commute, schedule, lack of pay and seniority. I have corporate 91/135 available in my area that pays double without all the soul sucking lol. When I get to the magic flight hours required, it's really a no brainer for me... Everyone has a different view or reason, but I really don't understand starting from scratch and trying for the airlines route. $100k+ in debt for $18+/hour. Really?

It is all about the pay. There will never be a baseball player shortage. In the medical field there is an accute nursing shortage. This is mainly due to many qualified nurses waiting tables and working other service industries for twice the pay. As we move into the future, manufacturers and the aviation powers that be will increasingly look at single pilot options.

Time from start of training to regional CAIf began training in 2000 - 10-15 yearsIf began training in 2017 - 6-8 years

So best case scenario is making on average 35k for 6 years while paying $1,500 per month in student loan payments. All the while dealing with terrible schedules. You need to REALLY want to fly to be a pilot, and the airlines have exploited that fact for far too long.

It also seems to suggest that the relaxing the United State's requirement for 1500 hours for an ATP is not going to solve this supply demand imbalance. The process needs more candidates entering the front of the pipeline, and for that to happen the job needs to be more attractive than it is now. So far what I've heard discussed wouldn't have enticed me into an airline pilot's career when I was deciding. Certainly not one-shot enticements like bonuses (which go away the next year after the candidate has committed).

The solution is simple as previously stated, it's the abhorrent pay and working conditions. Shooting a CAT II down to minimums loses it's appeal when you come to realize that the guy in the 737 who landed ahead of you and the guy in the A320 that just landed behind you are doing it for 3 times the hourly rate that you are being paid for doing the EXACT SAME THING!

Airbus has for years tried to take the pilot out of piloting an aircraft! Unfortunately, mechanical things break and the fall back is to a human mind. I think of Apollo 13 and all the great minds on the ground and in the air (space) that made up fixes and got the crew home safely. A computer in that era would be useless at solving a series of problems on it’s own. Airlines and accelerated learning flight schools can and will pop out future pilots at an alarmingly low rate, but they will only be systems managers not pilots in the real sense. That ship has sailed and we are now in the transistion zone between manned and unmanned flight. Too bad really because I really liked hand flying a airliner and it separated the taxi drivers from the limo drivers.

This is incorrect. As a currently practicing airline pilot, the training is emphasizing hand flying more and more BECAUSE of over reliance on automation. The pendulum swings both ways. My guess is the next 10-20 years will emphasize both hand flying and system management equally.

Come back a talk to me after you have hand flown a heavy over the Atlantic due to a u/s autopilot and yes it was out of RVSM airspace. Now good for you that you actually fly the aircraft because most don’t. My comments are well placed in an environment that is fast tracking pilots with little knowledge (experience) and even less stick time and some want the standards lowered even more. Again, I applaud your thinking and actions but most airline pilots would not let the automation run them that is probably why your airline has instituted more hand flying.

What I meant was that most pilots don’t hand fly their aircraft often enough and for long enough to maintain excellent proficiency not that they don’t know how to. I can't really blame them due to long duty days and even longer flights.